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side of him）； and the yard pump projecting from the upper window。
〃We shall beat him now； Hans；〃 I said looking at the broad river which
was now close at hand。
〃Yes； Baas；〃 answered Hans doubtfully and in jerks。 〃This is very good
camel； Baas。 He runs so fast that I have no inside left； I suppose
because he smells his wife over that river； to say nothing of death
behind him。 But； Baas； I am not sure； that devil Jana is still faster
than the camel； and he wants to settle for his lost eye； which makes
him lively。 Also I see stones ahead； which are bad for camels。 Then
there is the river； and I don't know if camels can swim； but Jana can
as Mar？t learned。 Do you think； Baas； that you could manage to sting
him up with a bullet in his knee or that great trunk of his； just to
give him something to think about besides ourselves？〃
Thus he prattled on； I believe to occupy my mind and his own； till at
length； growing impatient； I replied：
〃Be silent； donkey。 Can I shoot an elephant backwards over my shoulder
with a rifle meant for springbuck？ Hit the camel！ Hit it hard！〃
Alas！ Hans was right！ There /were/ stones at the verge of the river；
which doubtless it had washed out in periods of past flood； and
presently we were among them。 Now a camel； so good on sand that is its
native heath； is a worthless brute among stones； over which it slips
and flounders。 But to Jana these appeared to offer little or no
obstacle。 At any rate he came over them almost if not quite as fast as
before。 By the time that we reached the brink of the water he was not
more than ten yards behind。 I could even see the blood running down
from the socket of his ruined eye。
Moreover； at the sight of the foaming but shallow torrent； the camel；
a creature unaccustomed to water； pulled up in a mulish kind of way
and for a moment refused to stir。 Luckily at this instant Jana let off
one of his archangel kind of trumpetings which started our beast
again； since it was more afraid of elephants than it was of water。
In we went and were presently floundering among the loose stones at
the bottom of the river； which was nowhere over four feet deep； with
Jana splashing after us not more than five yards behind。 I twisted
myself round and fired at him with the rifle。 Whether I hit him or no
I could not say； but he stopped for a few seconds； perhaps because he
remembered the effect of a similar explosion upon his eye； which gave
us a trifling start。 Then he came on again in his steam…engine
fashion。
When we were about in the middle of the river the inevitable happened。
The camel fell； pitching us over its head into the stream。 Still
clinging to the rifle I picked myself up and began half to swim half
to wade towards the farther shore； catching hold of Hans with my free
hand。 In a moment Jana was on to that camel。 He gored it with his
tusks； he trampled it with his feet； he got it round the neck with his
trunk； dragging nearly the whole bulk of it out of the water。 Then he
set to work to pound it down into the mud and stones at the bottom of
the river with such a persistent thoroughness； that he gave us time to
reach the other bank and climb up a stout tree which grew there； a
sloping； flat…topped kind of tree that was fortunately easy to ascend；
at least for a man。 Here we sat gasping； perhaps about thirty feet
above the ground level； and waited。
Presently Jana； having finished with the camel； followed us； and
without any difficulty located us in that tree。 He walked all round it
considering the situation。 Then he wound his huge trunk about the bole
of the tree and； putting out his strength； tried to pull it over。 It
was an anxious moment； but this particular child of the forest had not
grown there for some hundreds of years； withstanding all the shocks of
wind； weather and water； in order to be laid low by an elephant；
however enormous。 It shook a littleno more。 Abandoning this attempt
as futile； Jana next began to try to dig it up by driving his tusk
under its roots。 Here； too； he failed because they grew among stones
which evidently jarred him。
Ceasing from these agricultural efforts with a deep rumble of rage； he
adopted yet a third expedient。 Rearing his huge bulk into the air he
brought down his forefeet with all the tremendous weight of his great
body behind them on to the sloping trunk of the tree just below where
the branches sprang； perhaps twelve or thirteen feet above the ground。
The shock was so heavy that for a moment I thought the tree would be
uprooted or snapped in two。 Thank Heaven！ it held； but the vibration
was such that Hans and I were nearly shaken out of the upper branches；
like autumn apples from a bough。 Indeed； I think I should have gone
had not the monkey…like Hans； who had toes to cling with as well as
fingers； gripped me by the collar。
Thrice did Jana repeat this man？uvre； and at the third onslaught I saw
to my horror that the roots were loosening。 I heard some of them snap；
and a crack appeared in the ground not far from the bole。 Fortunately
Jana never noted these symptoms； for abandoning a plan which he
considered unavailing； he stood for a while swaying his trunk and lost
in gentle thought。
〃Hans；〃 I whispered； 〃load the rifle quick！ I can get him in the spine
or the other eye。〃
〃Wet powder won't go off； Baas；〃 groaned Hans。 〃The water got to it in
the river。〃
〃No；〃 I answered； 〃and it is all your fault for making me shoot at him
when I could take no aim。〃
〃It would have been just the same； Baas； for the rifle went under
water also when we fell from the camel； and the cap would have been
damp； and perhaps the powder too。 Also the shot made Jana stop for a
moment。〃
This was true； but it was maddening to be obliged to sit there with an
empty gun； when if I had but one charge； or even my pistol； I was sure
that I could have blinded or crippled this satanic pachyderm。
A few minutes later Jana played his last card。 Coming quite close to
the trunk of the tree he reared himself up as before； but this time
stretched out his forelegs so that these and his body were supported
on the broad bole。 Then he elongated his trunk and with it began to
break off boughs which grew between us and him。
〃I don't think he can reach us；〃 I said doubtfully to Hans； 〃that is；
unless he brings a stone to stand on。〃
〃Oh！ Baas； pray be silent；〃 answered Hans； 〃or he will understand and
fetch one。〃
Although the idea seemed absurd； on the whole I thought it well to
take the hint； for who knew how much this experienced beast did or did
not understand？ Then； as we could go no higher； we wriggled as far as
we dared along our boughs and waited。
Presently Jana； having finished his clearing operations； began to
lengthen his trunk to its full measure。 Literally； it seemed to expand
like a telescope or an indiarubber ring。 Out it came； foot after foot；
till its snapping tip was waving within